


the next step

by kiyala



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Broken Bones, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 09:12:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3129131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Courfeyrac tries to be a good boyfriend and take Combeferre's dog for a walk. It doesn't quite go according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the next step

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anonymous prompt in which Combeferre or Courfeyrac breaks their ankle and has to rest their leg.

Courfeyrac is an _amazing_ boyfriend. He's been told as much by several of the people he's dated, even if their relationships don't last. The issue is never that Courfeyrac doesn't try, or doesn't show that he cares because he _does_ , he truly does and right now, being an amazing boyfriend just doesn't cut it. Not when he and Combeferre have finally started dating after more false starts than he cares to count. For Combeferre, he has to be the _perfect_ boyfriend and will not accept anything less of himself. He's going to make this work and he's going to make it work long-term because he's in love, the all-consuming kind of love that he's keeping to himself for now because they've barely been together for a month and he isn't going to scare Combeferre away. 

So he's sticking to showing Combeferre that he cares, and he's great at that. 

Combeferre has an important presentation to make at work and he's been busy for days. Courfeyrac visits him daily anyway because even if they don't have time to do anything together, he's in the kind of love where he's just happy to spend time in the same room as Combeferre even if they're doing their own thing and besides, he's also there to visit Devika, Combeferre's two year old Husky. She's friendly and playful and she loves Courfeyrac, clambering all over him with her tail wagging whenever he comes over. He plays with her, keeps her active, and when he notices Combeferre watching them from the corner of his eye, Courfeyrac has an idea. 

"I'll walk Devika for you," Courfeyrac declares, making Combeferre look up from his laptop. 

"You really don't have to. You're keeping her active enough by playing fetch with her."

"That's a lie and all three of us know it. She wants a walk around the block, a change of scenery, she might even see other dogs while she's out! Just imagine that, Combeferre."

Chuckling, Combeferre takes Courfeyrac's hand and pulls him into a kiss. "If you're sure."

"Of course I am," Courfeyrac replies breezily. "It's just a walk, what's the worst that could happen?"

—«·»—

Which is how Courfeyrac ends up breaking his ankle. Combeferre tells him that he'll need to keep it elevated, which is echoed by the doctor who puts a cast on his foot, then echoed again over the phone by Joly, who rings as soon as he hears about it. Courfeyrac would take a moment to marvel at how quickly news travels through their circle of friends if not for the fact that he's currently feeling like _the worst boyfriend in the entire world_.

"I'm so sorry," Combeferre murmurs, once he's brought Courfeyrac back to his apartment. "Devika isn't usually the type to bolt like that. It's probably because I haven't taken her out much lately, it's my fault." 

"It's really not—" Courfeyrac begins, but Combeferre continues, shaking his head.

"You can stay over while your foot recovers, I'll take care of you to make up for the fact that you can't move around all that much. Devika will be on her best behaviour too, won't you, sweetheart?"

Devika nudges Courfeyrac's hand with a soft whine and he smiles, scratching behind her ear. "Combeferre, this was completely my own fault and I won't hear you say otherwise. It was an accident. They happen sometimes. You have your presentation to work on, so I'm not going to take up any more of your time. I'll call Enjolras to take me home—"

"Don't," Combeferre says quickly. He looks embarrassed but he pushes on. "Stay here. With me. I'll finish my presentation and then I'll have all the time in the world to give you my attention. I've been planning to, anyway. You can call Enjolras over if you want, because he did mention that he wanted to see how you're doing but… stay?"

There's no possible way in the world that Courfeyrac is going to say no to that. He smiles, still scratching behind Devika's ear. "Just lend me a book while you work on your presentation. I'll call Enjolras over when you're done, so we don't end up distracting you." 

They have a common interest in epic fantasy, so Courfeyrac happily settles down with one of the books from Combeferre's bookshelf that he hasn't read yet. Combeferre moves his laptop to the couch so that they're sitting beside each other and Courfeyrac has to bite back his fond smile. He doesn't say anything, but he's certain that he can hear Combeferre typing faster than he was before, finishing the slides for his presentation and reading over them before declaring it done and focusing on writing out his speech.

Courfeyrac is five chapters into the book by the time Combeferre finishes his work with a satisfied hum.

"All done?" Courfeyrac asks, putting his book down.

"I don't want to interrupt you if you're reading," Combeferre replies.

"It can wait." Putting the book away, Courfeyrac pulls Combeferre closer to kiss him. "I'd rather spend time with you, now that you're free. We can invite Enjolras over, too."

Combeferre smiles against Courfeyrac's lips. "I'll text him now. I hope you know I'm planning on kissing you until he arrives."

Courfeyrac smiles in return. "I was hoping you would."

—«·»—

Courfeyrac stays at Combeferre's place while his ankle heals. It's a slow process and Courfeyrac sometimes misses his own room, in the apartment he shares with Enjolras, but if Combeferre is swamped with work, Enjolras is infinitely busier and the three of them agree that this is easier. It means that Enjolras visits Combeferre's apartment even more often than he normally does, and even if Courfeyrac is having a difficult time dealing with the fact that he can't move around very much, it's nice to be living with Combeferre for a while.

They fall into an easy routine with each other, with Combeferre making coffee in the mornings and taking his in a thermos as he takes Devika for her walk. He gets home and they eat breakfast together before Combeferre goes to work and Courfeyrac settles down to do whatever work he can from home. Devika is good at telling when Courfeyrac's attention is wandering and is always at his side with a ball to play when he needs a break. While Courfeyrac is meant to keep his leg elevated as much as he can, he also has a crutch to help him move around when he needs to. He takes care of lunch on his own, because there's only so much that he'll let Combeferre do for him.

Combeferre comes home in the late afternoon and takes Devika out for another walk. Enjolras usually comes over to have dinner with them and stays for as long as he can. It's nice to have him there, and it's equally nice when it's just him and Combeferre, in an entirely different way. They cuddle on the couch with Devika sleeping by their feet and they'll watch TV together, or read together, and over the past few weeks, Courfeyrac's come to realise that the strong, all-consuming love he feels for Combeferre isn't going to scare him away. In fact, Combeferre returns it, and it's exhilarating to know that without the need for words.

"Courfeyrac?" Combeferre asks, the corners of his mouth quirking up into a smile. "You're… kind of staring at me with this weird smile."

"I love you," Courfeyrac tells him plainly. "I love you a lot. But you already know that, don't you?"

Combeferre's smile grows even wider. "I do. And you know I love you too."

"I do. It's wonderful." Courfeyrac presses a light kiss to Combeferre's lips. "It's why I'm smiling so much."

"I like making you smile," Combeferre murmurs, wrapping his arm around Courfeyrac and pulling him close, careful not to jostle his foot. Quieter, he adds, "I like having you here."

Courfeyrac has tried not to think about the fact that when his foot is completely healed, he'll be moving back into his own apartment with Enjolras. Combeferre's apartment is small and they've been sharing his double bed and they've made it work for the past few weeks, but Courfeyrac knows he can't stay here long-term. The problem is that he doesn't want to leave Combeferre behind either.

"What about this," he says, the idea suddenly occurring to him. "What if you, Enjolras and myself find somewhere bigger to move in together? It could—it could be a three-bedroom apartment—"

"Or a two-bedroom apartment," Combeferre adds with a small smile.

"Somewhere pet-friendly with two bedrooms," Courfeyrac amends. "I mean, we'd have to talk to Enjolras about it of course. But…"

"I'd love to," Combeferre tells him. "I'd love to live with you both."

"And we can help you take care of Devika," Courfeyrac says excitedly. "Once my ankle heals, I can take her for walks again."

"…And I'll make sure she doesn't bolt again."

Courfeyrac laughs, resting his forehead against Combeferre's. Just another week, his doctor told him, before they take another x-ray just to be safe, and if all goes according to plan, Courfeyrac will be officially healed. And then he can start the next part of his life, with Combeferre and with Enjolras and Devika too, and the thought of that excites him more than anything else.


End file.
